New York Jets release Tim Tebow

NEW YORK -- Tim Tebow couldn't get any playing time last season when the New York Jets had three quarterbacks on the roster. Following the selection of Geno Smith last week, they had six.

Well, now they have five.

Tebow was informed Monday morning when he arrived at the team's facility he'll be released, and the team put out a statement:

"We have a great deal of respect for Tim Tebow," said Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan. "Unfortunately, things did not work out the way we all had hoped. Tim is an extremely hard worker, evident by the shape he came back in this offseason. We wish him the best moving forward."

Tebow's NFL career is now in major jeopardy, unless of course he accepts a role as anything other than a quarterback. The Jets envisioned him as a Swiss Army knife of a player, and Tebow played a bunch of roles for them early last season - pass protector, punt protector, wide receiver and even H-back. The Jets also wanted to use him as a tailback, though that never materialized.

Late in the season, when Rex Ryan benched Mark Sanchez and started Greg McElroy instead of Tebow, the coach had an upset Tebow on his hands. Tebow believed the fact he was active for much of the season while McElroy was inactive was an indication he was truly the No. 2 quarterback. He was wrong.